A Challenge
by CaptainKrueger
Summary: Mai goes looking for Valon, but he isn't exactly welcoming her with open arms. Slight Conquest.


"Almost forgot that someone lived there. I rarely saw any signs of an owner, so I'm sure you can imagine that it was a bit of a surprise to see activity coming from that house," the neighbor told her. "He'd pop in for a visit every few months, yes, but he never stayed for long. There was that time when he returned and stayed for a little over two weeks, but then he disappeared again, as if into thin air, like old times."

The neighbor, an older woman who wore wire rimmed glasses and gardening gloves, studied Mai and said, "We've talked a few times."

"You have?" Mai, arms crossed, asked to be polite.

The older woman nodded and said, "Actually, he mentioned you."

"Did he? What did he say?"

"Well, he said he had one of the things you're looking for, something you're keenly interested in. A possession, I think? I really don't know what all of that was about, but he said you would," the neighbor said, puzzled. "Anyway, he told me to tell you this when you came around, and he kept it—whatever 'it' really is—he told me he kept it safe when he had it."

Mai closed her eyes, inhaled, and nodded. So he knew that she would return, but his ideas were probably different than hers. She opened her eyes and asked, "Do you know if he's back?"

The neighbor nodded and said, "That, I do know. I also know that humans are creatures of habit, and young Valon is no exception, and I know that every morning at seven o' clock he leaves on his motorcycle and comes back between five and seven P.M. I suppose he has a job to go to, but I also think that he spends time out in town afterwards. That's all I know. So if you want to reach him, you might try coming around sometime around seven… However…" The neighbor paused, as if remembering something.

"What?" Mai asked her.

"He said that you'll find your possession with the one he called Wheeler so you don't have to go to much trouble. He said that things would be easier for both of you that way."

Domino was not a small city, so there could be many places Valon could possibly haunt, and she had checked several repair shops to see if he worked for them, and came up with nothing. Mai decided that the best course of action would be to catch him before he left in the morning.

Mai pulled out Cyber Harpie Lady and studied the card she had left behind with Valon a while ago. Joey had told her that he hadn't even thought the card was Mai's, but he had kept it due to Valon's insistence that he keep it for when the time came. _"I never thought that you'd leave one of your cards with anyone, never mind one of your Harpie Ladies. I mean, come on! Any reason why you left it with him?"_

_"Call it a small promise," Mai had replied cryptically._

Mai put the trading card in her deck, crossed her arms, and sighed. Valon was bound to come out any minute now. Now Mai had to know why he had taken her leaving the card with him so lightly. As if she would forget one of her Harpies; as if she would take a card out of her deck and leave it by accident.

She had taken the time to get her head together, and now she was taking the time to get another thing straightened out. All she had to do was wait.

Mai had waited until half past seven, and still the yellow bike stayed parked outside of Valon's house. Mai sighed irritably and decided that she would have to go up to the door herself. She left her spot and walked up to the front door, ready to knock. Maybe he had the day off, she reasoned. Still, the old woman had told her that every morning Valon left at seven. Maybe he had decided to sleep in today. Mai, knocking a few times, hoped he was awake.

A few seconds later Valon, keys in hand, opened the door. He gave her a careless smile and said as he stepped out, "Oh, hi there, Mai. You get your card back? How are things?"

Smirking, Mai pulled the item in question out and held it up for him to see. "Didn't even give me time to come see you," she said dryly, putting the card up.

Smiling, Valon shrugged and said, "Well, why complicate things, hm? Wouldn't it be easier to get it from a friend? Someone you care about?" As if expecting things to be left at that, Valon locked the door and started walking to his bike without waiting for an answer.

"Aren't _we_ friends?" Mai asked, hurrying after him to keep up with the large strides Valon was taking.

Valon chuckled once, looked at her over his shoulder, and asked, "Are we Mai? You tell me. Sure didn't seem that way."

"Well, I was _thinking_ that since I—"

"What?" Valon asked. He came to a stop next to his yellow motorcycle and asked, "Since you left Ms. Harpie in my able care? That was cute, but…"

"But what?" Mai asked impatiently. "I'm here, am I not? Doesn't that count for anything, Valon?"

He smirked slightly and gestured for her to come closer. "Oh, you made how you wanted things very, very clear, Mai," he whispered close to her ear. Valon stepped back, smiled genuinely, and crossed his arms. He added, "I mean, sure, I realize that what you did _does_ have some significance, Mai, but you didn't even leave me a note. I would have been okay with that. If you left to get things sorted out in your head, then that's good for you, Mai. I did that myself. I saw things, met people, stopped to smell the roses, all of that. Learned a few things, too. Did me good. And while it's true that you're here, I'm just not too sure that I should start feeling special. I made the mistake of thinking I knew what goes on in your mind, Mai, and I'm not about to start doing that again. Not when you made it pretty clear that I'm only worth a piece of plastic. But, hey, at least we'll always have the Orichalcos. I won't be forgetting that experience. Take care of yourself, Mai."

Valon then put on his helmet after seating himself on his motorcycle. He started his bike up and sped off, tossing a hand up in a half-hearted goodbye. Mai folded her arms and watched until he was out of sight. She exhaled and chuckled bitterly to herself. She hadn't made things easy for him, and now he wouldn't make anything easy for her. The tables were obviously turned for her. Mai knew that they were both strong-willed individuals, and neither one gave up easily. This was going to be a challenge, Mai could tell. Although, it was a good thing that she enjoyed a good challenge.


End file.
